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As the Chief Engineer of SOAR at Pitt, I have overseen and personally developed many technical projects. These projects are created to be presented during SOAR's participation in the annual International Rocket Engineering Competition, where the team flies a high-power rocket to a target altitude of 10,000 feet.
Launches
PAX 1 - Flight on a SOAR N-3350 Turbo Motor
International Rocket Engineering Competition, June 2025
Credit: ESRA
PAX 1 - Test flight on an Aerotech L-2200 Motor
Maryland-Delaware Rocketry Association, March 2025
Panther X - Flight on a SOAR N-2500 Blue Motor
Spaceport America Cup, June 2024
Credit: ESRA, Matt Dahle
Solid Rocket Motor Manufacturing
Turbo 98mm static fire #1 (February 2025)
Turbo 38mm static fire (March 2025)
Blue 98mm static fire (March 2024)
Blue 98mm assembled motor (March 2024)
Turbo 98mm static fire #2 (March 2025)
Turbo fuel assembly (May 2025)
Blue was SOAR's first ever successful solid rocket motor development project in 2024. This N-class motor, composed of ammonium perchlorate, aluminum, and resin binders, produced an average thrust of 560 lbf (2500 N) and burned for 4.75 seconds. I served as the lead engineer for this project, and I led the fuel manufacturing, full-scale static fire, and integration into the competition rocket.
Immediately following Blue, Turbo was the second successful ammonium perchlorate composite propellant developed by SOAR in 2025. This motor achieved an N-class designation as well and produced an average thrust of 750 lbf (3350 N) for 3.15 seconds. Because this formula produced considerably more thrust than Blue, it required additional safety and reliability testing. I led the fuel manufacturing process, sub-scale and full-scale static fires, test stand development, and integration for this design cycle.
These projects included work involving:
Design and manufacturing of an N-class solid rocket motor fuel assembly
Design and construction of a rocket motor test stand
Development of custom electronic hardware and software for data collection
Numerous sub-scale and full-scale static fires for safety validation
2D & 3D Modeling - Various Projects
In my time with SOAR, I have completed several projects that required 2D and/or 3D modeling for 3D printing, technical documents, or competition requirements. This experience has greatly developed my skills in AutoCAD, SOLIDWORKS, Onshape, other CAD software.
Deployable 2U CubeSat Payload
For IREC 2025, I led development of CubeSat payload mechanism. This device deployed itself from the rocket and landed separately under parachute. I created the individual parts and a full 3D assembly.
Bolt-on Aerodynamic Camera Shroud
PAX 1 was SOAR's first rocket with onboard video. This camera protruded from the rocket and pointed down towards the ground. I created a housing to minimize drag and to protect the camera device. Inside the rocket, a separate camera mounting was also created.
Active Control Mechanical Hardware
I led the creation of an air brake system for altitude control on PAX 1. I led a small team to develop a working model, and I modified the design to expedite the manufacturing process. My design allowed a majority of the parts to be waterjet-cut, 3D printed, or off-the-shelf parts to minimize lead times and cost.
PCB & Servo Mounting Structure
This structure was used to mount the electronic components used for air brake actuation. I created and 3D printed a single structure to securely mount the PCB, servo motor, and batteries.
Rocket Motor Test Stand Isometric Drawing
Using AutoCAD, I created an isometric drawing of the rocket motor test stand for the full-scale static fire of Blue in 2024. This drawing was used for documentation, assembly instructions, and dimensional records.
98mm Motor Assembly Drawing
Using AutoCAD, I created a drawing of the full-scale rocket motor hardware. This drawing was used for documentation and training on motor assembly.
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